Message settings selection

ABSTRACT

A system and method of selecting messaging settings on a messaging client are provided. A data store configured to operate in conjunction with the messaging client stores records comprising messaging settings or characteristics for previously received and/or sent messages. The messaging client is configured to send outgoing messages, each of the messages having message characteristics, to determine whether a record for an addressed recipient of an outgoing message exists in the data store, and to select messaging settings to control the message characteristics of the outgoing message based on the record where a record exists.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit, pursuant to 35 U.S.C.§119(e), of provisional U.S. patent applications No. 60/419,103, filedOct. 18, 2002, entitled “MESSAGE SETTINGS SELECTION AND DISPLAY”, andNo. 60/494,625, filed Aug. 12, 2003, entitled “MESSAGE SETTINGSSELECTION”, which applications are, by this reference, herebyincorporated herein for all purposes.

BACKGROUND

[0002] This application relates generally to the field of secureelectronic messaging, and in particular to selecting messagingconfiguration settings on a messaging client.

[0003] Known secure messaging software clients, such as e-mail softwareapplications operating on desktop computer systems, use only one set ofmessaging settings at a time. Messaging settings may be establishedusing a mouse, a keyboard or another input device, for example, toconfigure such message characteristics as formats, fonts, and commontext that should appear in all outgoing messages, as well as securemessaging characteristics such as message signing and encryption.Although a user may establish more than one group of settings, only onegroup, previously selected as current or default settings, controlsmessaging operations on a messaging client at any time. In order toconfigure different message characteristics than those established inthe current settings for an outgoing message, the current settings mustbe over-ridden or another group of settings must be selected. Theseoperations may be cumbersome, particularly when message characteristicsmust be changed frequently, such as when the addressees of outgoingmessages have different messaging capabilities.

SUMMARY

[0004] A method of selecting messaging settings for an outgoing messageon a messaging client is provided. The method includes the steps ofdetermining whether a record for an addressed recipient of the outgoingmessage exists in a data store, and selecting messaging settings tocontrol message characteristics of the outgoing message based on therecord where a record exists.

[0005] A system of selecting and displaying messaging settings is alsoprovided. The system includes a data store for storing recordscomprising messaging settings, and a messaging client configured to sendoutgoing messages, each of the messages having message characteristics,to determine whether a record for an addressed recipient of an outgoingmessage exists in the data store, and to select messaging settings tocontrol the message characteristics of the outgoing message based on therecord where a record exists.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006]FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a messaging system.

[0007]FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a secure e-mail messageexchange in a messaging system.

[0008]FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a wireless mobile communicationdevice implementing a messaging settings selection system.

[0009]FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a compose screen that supportsone embodiment of a system and method of messaging settings selection.

[0010] FIGS. 5-7 are block diagrams showing a compose screen thatsupports another embodiment of a system and method of messaging settingsselection.

[0011]FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a compose screen and a messagemenu.

[0012]FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a message options screen.

[0013]FIG. 10 is a flow chart illustrating a method of selectingmessaging settings on a messaging client.

[0014]FIG. 11 is a block diagram of a wireless mobile communicationdevice.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0015] Examples are now described in detail. Referring to the drawings,like numbers indicate like parts throughout the views. As used in theherein, the meaning of “a,” “an,” and “the” includes plural referenceunless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Also, as used in thedescription herein, the meaning of “in” includes “in” and “on” unlessthe context clearly dictates otherwise. Finally, as used in the herein,the meanings of “and” and “or” include both the conjunctive anddisjunctive and may be used interchangeably unless the context clearlydictates otherwise; the phrase “exclusive or” may be used to indicatesituation where only the disjunctive meaning may apply.

[0016] Messaging settings control general message characteristics suchas message format and fonts for both insecure messages and securemessages. Insecure messages include, for example, e-mail messages thatare exchanged between messaging clients through the Internet. Securemessage characteristics such as message signing and encryption are alsocontrolled by establishing message settings. Secure messages may besigned with a digital signature, encrypted, or both signed andencrypted, and may also be processed in other ways by a message senderor intermediate system between a message sender and a messaging clientwhich receives the secure message. For example, secure messages includemessages that have been signed, encrypted and then signed, or signed andthen encrypted, by a message sender according to variants of SecureMultipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (S/MIME). A secure message couldsimilarly be encoded, compressed or otherwise processed either before orafter being signed and/or encrypted. Thus, a group of message settingsmay include general message settings, secure message settings or both.

[0017] A messaging client allows a system on which it operates toreceive and possibly also send messages. Messaging clients operate on acomputer system, a handheld device, or any other system or device withcommunications capabilities. Many messaging clients also have additionalnon-messaging functions.

[0018]FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a messaging system. The system 10includes a Wide Area Network (WAN) 12, coupled to a computer system 14,a wireless network gateway 16, and a corporate Local Area Network (LAN)18. The wireless network gateway 16 is also coupled to a wirelesscommunication network 20, in which a wireless mobile communicationdevice 22 (“mobile device”) is configured to operate.

[0019] The computer system 14 is a desktop or laptop personal computer(PC), which is configured to communicate to the WAN 12, which is theInternet in most implementations. PCs, such as computer system 14,normally access the Internet through an Internet Service Provider (ISP),an Application Service Provider (ASP), or the like.

[0020] The corporate LAN 18 is a network-based messaging client. It isnormally located behind a security firewall 24. Within the corporate LAN18, a message server 26, operating on a computer behind the firewall 24,serves as the primary interface for the corporation to exchange messagesboth within the LAN 18, and with other external messaging clients viathe WAN 12. Two known message servers 26 are Microsoft™ Exchange serverand Lotus Domino™ server. These servers 26 are often used in conjunctionwith Internet mail routers that route and deliver mail messages. Aserver such as the message server 26 also typically provides additionalfunctionality, such as dynamic database storage for calendars, todolists, task lists, e-mail, electronic documentation, etc.

[0021] The message server 26 provides messaging capabilities to thecorporation's networked computer systems 28 coupled to the LAN 18. Atypical LAN 18 includes multiple computer systems 28, each of whichimplements a messaging client, such as Microsoft Outlook, Lotus Notes,etc. Within the LAN 18, messages are received by the message server 26,distributed to the appropriate mailboxes for user accounts addressed inthe received message, and then accessed by a user through a computersystem 28 operating as a messaging client.

[0022] The wireless gateway 16 provides an interface to a wirelessnetwork 20, through which messages are exchanged with a mobile device22. Such functions as addressing of the mobile device 22, encoding orotherwise transforming messages for wireless transmission, and any otherrequired interface functions are performed by the wireless gateway 16.Although the wireless gateway 16 operates with the single wirelessnetwork 20 in FIG. 1, wireless gateways may be configured to operatewith more than one wireless network in alternative embodiments, in whichcase the wireless gateway may also determine a most likely network forlocating a given mobile device user and may also track users as theyroam between countries or networks.

[0023] Any computer system 14, 28 with access to the WAN 12 may exchangemessages with a mobile device 22 through the wireless network gateway16. Alternatively, private wireless network gateways, such as wirelessVirtual Private Network (VPN) routers, could be implemented to provide aprivate interface to a wireless network. For example, a wireless VPNrouter implemented in the LAN 18 would provide a private interface fromthe LAN 18 to one or more mobile devices such as the mobile device 22through the wireless network 20. Wireless VPN routers and other types ofprivate interfaces to the mobile device 22 may effectively be extendedto entities outside the LAN 18 by providing a message forwarding orredirection system that operates with the message server 26. Such aredirection system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,219,694, which ishereby incorporated into this application by reference. In this type ofredirection system, incoming messages received by the message server 26and addressed to a user of a mobile device 22 are sent through thewireless network interface, either a wireless VPN router, wirelessgateway 16 or other interface, to the wireless network 20 and to theuser's mobile device 22. Another alternate interface to a user's mailboxon a message server 26 is a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) gateway,through which a list of messages in a user's mailbox on the messageserver 26, and possibly each message or a portion of each message, couldbe sent to the mobile device 22.

[0024] Wireless networks such as the wireless network 20 normallydeliver information to and from mobile devices via RF transmissionsbetween base stations and the mobile devices. The wireless network 20may, for example, be a data-centric wireless network, a voice-centricwireless network, or a dual-mode network that can support both voice anddata communications over the same infrastructure. Known data-centricnetwork include the Mobitex™ Radio Network (“Mobitex”), and the DataTAC™Radio Network (“DataTAC”). Examples of known voice-centric data networksinclude Personal Communication Systems (PCS) networks like Global Systemfor Mobile Communications (GSM) and Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA)systems. Dual-mode wireless networks include Code Division MultipleAccess (CDMA) networks, General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) networks,and so-called third-generation (3G) networks, such as Enhanced Datarates for Global Evolution (EDGE) and Universal MobileTelecommunications Systems (UMTS), which are currently underdevelopment.

[0025] The mobile device 22 is a data communication device, a voicecommunication device, or a multiple-mode device capable of voice, dataand other types of communications. An exemplary mobile device 22 isdescribed in further detail below.

[0026] Perhaps the most common type of messaging currently in use ise-mail. In a standard e-mail system, an e-mail message is sent by ane-mail sender, possibly through a message server and/or a serviceprovider system, and is then routed through the Internet, whennecessary, to one or more message receivers. E-mail messages arenormally sent in the clear and typically use Simple Mail TransferProtocol (SMTP) headers and Multi-purpose Internet Mail Extensions(MIME) body parts to define the format of the e-mail message.

[0027] In recent years, secure messaging techniques have evolved toprotect both the content and integrity of messages, such as e-mailmessages. S/MIME and Pretty Good Privacy™ (PGP™) are two public keysecure e-mail messaging protocols that provide for both encryption, toprotect data content, and signing, which protects the integrity of amessage and provides for sender authentication by a message receiver. Inaddition to utilizing digital signatures and possibly encryption, securemessages may also or instead be encoded, compressed or otherwiseprocessed.

[0028]FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a secure e-mail messageexchange in a messaging system. The system includes an e-mail sender 30coupled to a WAN 32, and a wireless gateway 34, which provides aninterface between the WAN 32 and a wireless network 36. A mobile device38 is adapted to operate within the wireless network 36.

[0029] The e-mail sender 30 is a PC, such as the system 14 in FIG. 1, anetwork-connected computer, such as computer 28 in FIG. 1, or a mobiledevice, on which a messaging client operates to enable e-mail messagesto be composed and sent. The WAN 32, wireless gateway 34, wirelessnetwork 36 and mobile device 38 are substantially the same assimilarly-labelled components in FIG. 1.

[0030] In an example digital signature scheme, a secure e-mail messagesender 30 digitally signs a message by taking a digest of the messageand signing the digest using the sender's private key. A digest may, forexample, be generated by performing a check-sum, a Cyclic RedundancyCheck (CRC), a hash, or some other non-reversible operation on themessage. This digest is then digitally signed by the sender using thesender's private key. The private key is used to perform atransformation operation, typically a transformation that is difficultto reverse without knowledge of the private key, on the digest togenerate a digital signature. A digital signature, including the digestand the digital signature, is then appended to the outgoing message. Inaddition, a digital Certificate (Cert) of the sender, which includes thesender's public key and sender identity information that is bound to thepublic key with one or more digital signatures, and possibly any chainedCerts and Certificate Revocation Lists (CRLs) associated with the Certand any chained Certs, is often included with the outgoing message.

[0031] The secure e-mail message 40 sent by the e-mail sender 30includes a component 42 including the sender's Cert, Cert chain, CRLsand digital signature and the signed message body 44. In the S/MIMEsecure messaging technique, Certs, CRLs and digital signatures arenormally placed at the beginning of a message as shown in FIG. 2, andthe message body is included in a file attachment. Messages generated byother secure messaging schemes may place message components in adifferent order than shown or include additional and/or differentcomponents. For example, a signed message 40 may include addressinginformation, such as “To:” and “From:” email addresses, and other headerinformation not shown in FIG. 2.

[0032] When the secure e-mail message 40 is sent from the e-mail sender30, it is routed through the WAN 32 to the wireless gateway 34, throughthe wireless network 36, and then to the mobile device 38. As describedabove, an e-mail message sender may alternatively send a messagedirectly to a wireless gateway, to a computer system associated with amobile device, or to a wireless VPN router or other interface fordelivery to a mobile device.

[0033] The receiver of the signed message 40, the mobile device 38,typically verifies the digital signature 42 in the secure message 40 bygenerating a digest of the message body 44, extracting the transmitteddigest from the digital signature 42, comparing the generated digestwith the digest extracted from the digital signature 42, and thenverifying the digital signature in the digital signature. The digestalgorithm used by a secure message receiver to generate the generateddigest is the same as the algorithm used by the message sender, and isnormally specified in a message header, or possibly in a digitalsignature of the secure message. Commonly used digest algorithm includethe Secure Hash Algorithm 1 (SHA1) and Message-Digest Algorithm 5 (MD5),although other digest algorithms may be used.

[0034] In order to verify the digital signature, the receiver 38retrieves the public key of the sender 30, generally by extracting thepublic key from the sender's Cert 42 attached to the message 40, andthen verifies the signature on the digest in the digital signature byperforming a reverse transformation on the digital signature. Forexample, if the message sender 30 generated the digital signature byencrypting the digest using its private key, then a receiver 38 uses thesender's public key to decrypt the digital signature to recover theoriginal digest. The secure message 40 shown in FIG. 2 includes thesender's Cert 42, from which the sender's public key can be extracted.Where the sender's public key was extracted from an earlier message fromthe sender 30 and stored in a key store in the receiver's local store,the sender's public key may instead be retrieved from the local store.Alternatively, the public key may be retrieved from the sender's Certstored in a local store, or from a Public Key Server (PKS). A PKS is aserver that is normally associated with a Certificate Authority (CA)from which a Cert for an entity, including the entity's public key, isavailable. A PKS might reside within a corporate LAN such as 18 (FIG.1), or anywhere on the WAN 32, Internet or other network or systemthrough which message receivers may establish communications with thePKS.

[0035] The Cert, Cert chain and CRLs 42 are used by a receiver to ensurethat the sender's Cert is valid, i.e., that the Cert has not beenrevoked or expired, and is trusted. A Cert is often part of a Certchain, which includes a user's Cert as well as other Certs to verifythat the user's Cert is authentic. For example, a Cert for anyparticular entity typically includes the entity's public key andidentification information that is bound to the public key with adigital signature. Several types of Cert currently in use include, forexample, X.509 Certs, which are typically used in S/MIME, and PGP Certs,which have a slightly different format. The digital signature in a Certis generated by the issuer of the Cert, and is checked by a messagereceiver as described above. A Cert may include an expiry time orvalidity period from which a messaging client determines if the Cert hasexpired. When a CRL is available, the Cert is checked against the CRL toensure that the Cert has not been revoked.

[0036] If the digital signature in a message sender's Cert is verified,the Cert has not expired or been revoked, and the issuer of the Cert istrusted by a message receiver, then the digital signature of the messageis trusted by the message receiver. If the issuer of the Cert is nottrusted, then the message receiver traces a certification path throughthe Cert chain to verify that each Cert in the chain was signed by itsissuer, whose Cert is next in the Cert chain, until a Cert is found thatwas signed by a root Cert from a trusted source, such as a large PKS.Once a root Cert is found, then a signature can be trusted, because boththe sender and receiver trust the source of the root Cert.

[0037] If a secure message was encrypted or otherwise processed by amessage sender after being signed, then each receiver first decrypts orperforms other inverse processing operations on the message beforesignature verification is performed. Where encryption or otherprocessing was performed before signing, however, inverse processingsuch as decryption is performed after signature verification. Encryptionand decryption involve applying a cryptographic key and cipher algorithmto information to be encrypted or decrypted. Encryption and decryptionuse corresponding cipher algorithms, which may or may not be the same,and either the same or different cryptographic keys. In public keysystems, different keys are used for encryption and decryption, whereasin “shared secret” type operations, the same key, a secret sharedbetween a sender and recipient, is used for both encryption anddecryption.

[0038] At the e-mail sender 30, secure messaging characteristics andmessage signing in the message 40 are controlled by messaging settings.These settings may be either default messaging settings, or a currentlyselected group of messaging settings established by a user or byover-riding default or current messaging settings. In known systems,whenever a message having different message characteristics than thosespecified in a current group of message settings is to be sent from amessaging client, a different group of messaging settings must beselected or current setting must be over-ridden.

[0039] Frequent messaging settings changes are not only tedious and timeconsuming, but are also prone to error. For example, some securemessaging clients are configured to exchange either secure or insecuremessages with other messaging clients. However, a messaging client thatis not configured for secure messaging is unable to process receivedsecure messages. As described above, known messaging clients allow onlya single group of messaging settings to be active at any time.Therefore, when a secure messaging client exchanges messages withinsecure messaging clients relatively often, a user of the securemessaging client normally selects only general messaging settings asdefault messaging settings to ensure that sent messages can be processedby insecure messaging clients. Then, when a secure message is to be sentto a secure messaging client, a different group of settings is selectedor the current general messaging settings are over-ridden, so that asecure message is sent. When a user forgets to select secure messagingsettings or over-ride general messaging settings, a message that wasintended to be sent securely is sent in the clear. This situation isparticularly undesirable when such a message contains confidentialinformation, for example. Similarly, when secure messaging settings areused as default settings and not over-ridden when a message is to besent to an insecure messaging client, the insecure messaging client isunable to process the secure message and the sender must re-transmit themessage in an insecure format.

[0040] Although some known messaging clients simplify messaging settingsselection by providing multiple message sending choices when an outgoingmessage is to be sent, messaging settings selection remains prone touser errors. In such messaging clients, an outgoing message is composedby a user and addressed to one or more recipients. When the outgoingmessage is to be sent from the messaging client, the user selects agroup of messaging settings to control message characteristics of theoutgoing message, and the message is sent to the recipients, even if theuser makes an incorrect or undesired selection of messaging settings.

[0041]FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a wireless mobile communicationdevice implementing a messaging setting selection system.

[0042] The mobile device 38 includes a memory 52, a messaging client 60,a user interface (UI) 62, a display 63, and a wireless transceiver 64.

[0043] The memory 52 is a writeable store such as a RAM into which otherdevice components and systems write data, and includes a storage areafor a Cert store 54, an address book 56 in which messaging contactinformation is stored, an application data storage area 58 which storesdata associated with software applications on the mobile device 38, anda settings store 59 which stores messaging settings. Data stores 54, 56,58 and 59 are illustrative examples of stores that may be implemented ina memory 52 on mobile device 38. The memory 52 is also typically used byother device systems in addition to those shown in FIG. 3 to store othertypes of data.

[0044] The messaging system 60 is connected to the wireless transceiver64 and is thus enabled for communications via a wireless network.

[0045] The UI 62 may include such UI components as a keyboard or keypad,or other components which accept inputs from or provide outputs to auser of the mobile device 38. A mobile device 38 will typically includemore than one UI, and the UI 62 therefore represents one or more userinterfaces.

[0046] In the mobile device 38, the display 63 is typically a liquidcrystal display (LCD), although other types of display may instead beused in mobile devices. The display 63 is also a user interface, but isshown separately in FIG. 3.

[0047] The messaging client 60 stores received Certs to the Cert store54 and retrieves stored Certs from the Cert store 54. Certs are normallystored in the Cert store 54 in the format in which they are received,but may alternatively be parsed or otherwise translated into a storageformat before being written to the Cert store 54. Certs may be receivedwith secure messages, requested from a Cert source such as a PKS via thewireless transceiver 64, or loaded onto the mobile device 38 through acommunications interface such as a serial port, Universal Serial Bus(USB) port, Infrared Data Association (IrDA) port, or Bluetooth™ module,from a similarly equipped external system, a PC for example. Asdescribed above, a public key in a Cert may be required for sending orreceiving secure messages. Those skilled in the art will appreciate thata mobile device enabled for secure communications may include a separatekey store for storing cryptographic keys, instead of or in addition to aCert store.

[0048] The address book 56 stores contact information, at least some ofwhich is used by the messaging client 60 in messaging operations.Entries in the address book 56 are typically used for addressingmessages composed on the messaging client 60. Address book entries arealso used to replace addressing information, such as an e-mail address,with a personal or familiar name when a message that is received from asender for which an address book entry exists in the address book 56 isdisplayed to a user of the mobile device 38 on the display 63. Anaddress book entry is normally created either manually, by inputtingcontact information or selecting an address from a received messageusing a UI 62, for example, or automatically, such as by configuring themessaging client 60 to store contact information when a message isreceived from a sender for which no entry exists in the address book 56.Contact information could also be extracted and stored in the addressbook 56 when a new Cert is stored to the Cert store 54, as described inco-pending U.S. patent Application Serial No. 60/365,516, entitled“Certificate Information Storage System And Method”, assigned to theassignee of the present application and incorporated herein byreference.

[0049] The settings store 59 stores messaging settings which control thecharacteristics of outgoing messages sent from the mobile device 38. Inalternative embodiments, the settings store 59 stores indicators ofmessage characteristics or a combination of settings andcharacteristics. The settings store 59 may store more than one group ofmessaging settings, although in known systems, only one previouslyselected group of settings is active at any time. Known messagingclients determine which group of messaging settings was previouslyselected and uses that group of settings to control the messagecharacteristics of an outgoing message. Other known messaging clientsrequire a user to select messaging settings when an outgoing message hasbeen composed and is to be sent, which is prone to user error, asdescribed above.

[0050] The messaging client 60, however, is configured to provide forselection of messaging settings for each outgoing message when theoutgoing message is to be composed. In one embodiment, an additionalfeature of settings display is enabled using a compose screen foroutgoing messages which comprises a message portion and a messagingsettings portion.

[0051]FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a compose screen that supportsone embodiment of a system and method of messaging settings selection.The block diagram in FIG. 4 also supports settings display, which is anoptional feature. The compose screen 70 comprises a message portion 74and a messaging settings portion 72. The compose screen 70 also includesa “To:” line 80 and a “Subject:” line 78. The position of a cursor isindicated at 76.

[0052] The message portion 74 is used to compose message text for anoutgoing message. When a user is composing message text for an outgoingmessage, the cursor is positioned as shown at 76, in the message area74. Information entered by a user, such as characters typed using akeyboard or keypad, for example, is shown on the compose screen 70 at acurrent cursor position. Recipient addresses and a message subject aresimilarly entered by positioning the cursor on the “To:” line 80 and the“Subject:” line 78, respectively. As described in further detail below,recipient addresses for an outgoing message may also be retrieved froman address book. Where an outgoing message being composed is a reply orforward message related to a previous message, the “To:” line 80, the“Subject:” line 78 and the message portion 74 are typicallypre-populated with corresponding information from the previous message.

[0053] The messaging settings portion 72 displays messaging settings, ora name or other identifier of a group of messaging settings, that arecurrently selected to control the message characteristics of theoutgoing message. In the compose screen 70, a group of messagingsettings called “Home (S/MIME)” is currently selected. Since currentmessaging settings are displayed in the compose screen 70, a user isaware of the messaging settings that have been selected for the outgoingmessage currently being composed, and is therefore less likely to sendthe outgoing message without desired message characteristics. Ifcurrently selected messaging settings do not correspond to desiredmessage characteristics, then new messaging settings may be chosen forthe outgoing message before or when the outgoing message is sent.

[0054] With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, an outgoing message may becomposed on the mobile device 38 using UIs 62 such as a keyboard and thedisplay 63. The display 63 is configured to operate in conjunction withthe messaging client 60. The messaging client 60 is configured todisplay the compose screen 70 on the display 63 when an outgoing messageis to be composed. For example, a user may select a “compose”, “forwardmessage” or “reply to message” function from a menu or send a similarcommand to the messaging client 60 to invoke a compose messageoperation.

[0055] As described above, at least the “To:” line 80, the messageportion 74, and possibly the “Subject:” line 78 of the compose screen 70include information from a previous message when the outgoing messagebeing composed is a forward or reply message. For an original outgoingmessage, the “To:” line 80, the “Subject:” line 78 and the messageportion 74 are blank.

[0056] Several different schemes are possible for selecting messagingsettings, depending upon the configuration and capabilities of themessaging client 60. In one embodiment, messaging settings for anymessage related to a previously received message are selected based onthe messaging settings used for the received message, as stored in asettings store when the received message was received. Reply messagesand forward messages are examples of messages that are related toreceived messages. For example, where a message is received in onemessaging account or service supported on a mobile device, the samemessaging account or service, and possibly other messaging settings usedfor the received message, are selected for outgoing messages related tothe received message.

[0057] According to another messaging settings selection scheme, themessaging client 60 is configured to maintain a record of messagingsettings used for previously sent messages. Where the messaging client60 is also configured to receive messages, messaging settings forreceived messages may similarly be recorded. Such a record is indexed bymessage recipient or message sender, for example, and stored in theaddress book 56, the settings store 59, or another store on the mobiledevice 38. The messaging client 60 then consults the record of messagingsettings before selecting a group of messaging settings for an outgoingmessage. As described above, although stored messaging settings aredescribed herein, message characteristics may also or instead berecorded and used in selecting messaging settings, or alternativelycharacteristics, for outgoing messages.

[0058] Where the record of messaging settings is indexed by messagerecipient, the messaging client 60 stores an identifier of the messagerecipient, such as an email address, and either the messaging settingsor an identifier of a group of messaging settings that were used tocontrol the message characteristics of each sent message. Messagingsettings for an outgoing message are then chosen based on an addressedrecipient of the outgoing message where an entry has been stored in therecord of messaging settings for the recipient. When an outgoing messageis to be composed, a user inputs recipient information in the “To:” line80 of the compose screen 70. Messaging clients typically support severalmechanisms for recipient information entry, including manual addressentry using a keyboard, keypad or other input device, or selection of arecipient from the address book 56. The messaging client 60 may alsoallow a user to enter a name or other identifier and then translate thename or identifier into an address by searching the address book 56, orpossibly by querying a remote database. Outgoing message addressingoperations are normally performed after a compose screen is displayed,but may instead be performed before a compose screen is displayed, suchas by prompting a user for recipient information when a message composefunction is invoked. When addressing operations are performed before thecompose screen is displayed, or the outgoing message being composed is areply or forward message, then at least one recipient address or name isdisplayed in the “To:” line 80 when the compose screen 70 is firstdisplayed.

[0059] Once an outgoing message has been addressed to a recipient, therecipient address is shown in the “To:” line 80. In the compose screen70, the “To:” line 80 displays the recipient address “user@domain.com”.As those skilled in the art will appreciate, a “To:” line may insteaddisplay a familiar name associated with a recipient address,particularly when a recipient address is selected from the address book56 or an entry corresponding to a recipient name or address is stored inthe address book 56. The messaging client 60 then consults the messagingsettings record to determine whether the record includes an entry for amessage that was previously sent to the recipient. Where the recordincludes an entry for a message that was previously sent to therecipient, the messaging settings in the messaging settings record entryare selected for the outgoing message being composed and displayed inthe messaging settings portion 72 of the compose screen 70.

[0060] When a messaging client is operating on a mobile device, as shownin FIG. 3, memory resources are typically limited. At least for suchmessaging clients, it is desirable to establish a maximum size or numberof entries for the messaging settings record in order to ensure thatmemory resources are not depleted by a large messaging settings record.Although desktop and laptop computer systems running messaging clientstend to have substantially more memory resources than mobile devices, anupper limit on messaging settings record size is advantageous for suchsystems to conserve memory resources. Search time also increases withthe size of the messaging settings record. For example, a limit of 128entries in a messaging settings record has been found to provideefficient messaging settings selection operation, although other limitsmay instead be used.

[0061] For a messaging settings record having limited size, only acertain number, x, of entries is maintained. Therefore, such a messagingsettings record does not include an entry for a message that waspreviously sent to a recipient of an outgoing message unless thepreviously sent message was one of the last x messages sent. Of course,a messaging settings record, regardless of whether its size is limited,contains no entry for a recipient where no messages have been previouslysent to the recipient.

[0062] Default messaging settings, most recently selected messagingsettings, or messaging settings that appear in the messaging settingsrecord for other message recipients having the same domain name as therecipient of the outgoing message being composed (i.e., “domain.com” inFIG. 4), are selected and displayed in the messaging settings portion 72where the messaging settings record does not include an entry for amessage that was previously sent to the recipient. Alternatively, themessaging client 60 could be configured to prompt the user to choosemessaging settings to be used for the outgoing message in thissituation, and then display the chosen messaging settings or anindication thereof in the messaging settings portion 72.

[0063] As shown in FIG. 4, messaging settings called “Home (S/MIME)”have been selected for the outgoing message. In this example, “Home”indicates a messaging account or service with which the messaging client60 and the mobile device 38 have been configured to operate, and“S/MIME” indicates a type of encoding to be applied to the outgoingmessage. Thus, the test message shown in FIG. 4 will be sent using avariant of S/MIME via the “Home” messaging service. This type of namingconvention is particularly useful when the messaging client 60 and themobile device 38 are enabled for operation with more than one messagingaccount or service, as described in further detail below although othernaming conventions are possible.

[0064] Where messaging settings are displayed in the messaging settingsportion 72 of the compose screen 70 when an outgoing message is beingcomposed, the user of the messaging client 60 is aware of the messagingsettings that will be used to control the message characteristics of theoutgoing message when it is sent to the recipient. The messagingsettings are displayed to the user while the outgoing message is beingcomposed, which provides an opportunity for the user to determinewhether the messaging settings will generate desired messagingcharacteristics for the outgoing message. If the messaging settingsselected by the messaging client 60 will result in the outgoing messagehaving desired message characteristics when it is sent, then the userneed only invoke a send function or command without first selectingmessaging settings.

[0065] Storing or caching of message settings or characteristicsassociated with sent and/or received messages provides a means fortracking and using information about people with whom a usercommunicates. For example, a user might want to be able to track theencryption algorithms that others prefer to use, whether they normallysign their messages, or other related things. A data store keeps trackof the relevant settings or characteristics of the different recipients,senders, or both. A messaging client then uses the stored information tomake choices on default and allowed behaviour for future communicationswith a particular person.

[0066] The data store preferably stores encryption algorithmpreferences. For example, in S/MIME, TripleDES and RC2 support isrequired. However, a recipient of an outgoing message might also supportAES, which is a stronger algorithm. Selection of AES in this example maybe enabled by determining a sender's S/MIME capabilities, from areceived message. This information is then stored, and the next time theuser sends to that sender (as a recipient for a sent message), the datastore is queried. If that recipient supports AES, then the messagingclient defaults to using that algorithm.

[0067] Another setting or characteristic that is preferably stored iswhether the recipient supports compression in their secure email. Thismay be accomplished substantially as described above for encryptionalgorithms.

[0068] The data store or cache also preferably tracks the “style” of thelast communication from each recipient. If the last communicationreceived from a recipient of an outgoing message used PGP, then thiswill be stored. For the next outgoing message addressed to thatrecipient, PGP may be selected. The “action” last used by the recipientmay be tracked in a similar manner. If the last email received from arecipient was signed and encrypted, then a subsequent email to thatrecipient is preferably also signed and encrypted.

[0069] As described above, messaging settings are preferably selected inaccordance with either previously used messaging settings or defaultmessaging settings. However, different messaging settings may berequired in order for the outgoing message to have desired messagecharacteristics when it is sent. As also described above, depending uponthe configuration of the messaging client 60, different messagingsettings may be selected when the outgoing message is to be sent. Forother messaging clients, the user typically must either abort or suspendthe compose operation or save the message being composed and end thecompose operation to select different messaging settings. The newmessaging settings are then displayed in the messaging settings portion72 of the compose screen 70 and used to control message characteristicsof outgoing messages.

[0070] FIGS. 5-7 are block diagrams showing a compose screen thatsupports another embodiment of a system and method of messaging settingsselection. The compose screen 71 in FIGS. 5-7 is similar to the composescreen 70 in FIG. 4, and includes a messaging settings portion 73, inwhich selected messaging settings are displayed, and a message portion75, which is used to compose message text for an outgoing message. Inthe compose screen 71, however, the messaging settings portion 73comprises a messaging settings selection field 82.

[0071] Compose message operations using the compose screen 71 aresubstantially as described above for the compose screen 70. When a userinvokes a compose message feature or function using the messaging client60 (FIG. 3), the compose screen 71 is displayed on the display 63.Information is entered or selected and displayed on the “To:” line, the“Subject:” line and in the message portion 75 by positioning the cursorin an appropriate location on the compose screen 71. Selection ofinitial messaging settings for display in the messaging settings portion73 of the compose screen 71 may also be made in accordance with any ofthe techniques described above.

[0072] The messaging settings selection field 82 simplifies selection ofdifferent messaging settings when the selected messaging settingsdisplayed in the messaging settings portion 73 must be changed in orderto generate desired message characteristics for the outgoing messagebeing composed. Using the messaging settings selection field 82, newmessaging settings are selected, when necessary, from the compose screen71. Whenever a user determines that different messaging settings arerequired, the user positions a cursor in the messaging settingsselection field 82, as shown in FIG. 5.

[0073] Once the cursor has been positioned in the messaging settingsselection field 82, the user inputs or selects new messaging settings.In one embodiment, operation of an input device such as a function keyor thumbwheel when the cursor is positioned in the messaging settingsselection field 82 displays a menu of available messaging settings, asshown at 84 in FIG. 6. Messaging settings are then selected bypositioning the cursor on a menu entry and operating an input device.For example, the cursor may be positioned in the messaging settingsselection field 82 by rolling a thumbwheel, the menu 84 may be displayedby depressing the thumbwheel, and messaging settings may then beselected by rolling the thumbwheel to move the cursor to a particularentry in the menu 84 and depressing the thumbwheel.

[0074] In FIG. 6, a plurality of messaging settings are listed in themenu 84. As described above, the name “Home (S/MIME)” identifies amessaging account or service with which the messaging client 60 and themobile device 38 are configured to operate, and an S/MIME encodingscheme. Depending upon the type and capabilities of the messaging client60, more than one type of encoding scheme may be available for amessaging account or service. For the “Home” messaging service, S/MIME,PGP, and insecure or plaintext encoding are available. The “Desktop”messaging service, which may, for example, be associated with a businessor work email account, also supports insecure, PGP and S/MIME encoding.As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the menu 84 andmessaging settings selection field 82 drastically simplify the selectionof new messaging settings while an outgoing message is being composed.

[0075] The menu 84 is populated by the messaging client 60 dependingupon the configuration of the mobile device 38. The messaging client 60determines the messaging services with which the mobile device 38 hasbeen configured to operate. In FIG. 6, “Home” and “Desktop” messagingservices are available, and are shown in the messaging settings menu.The messaging client 60 also determines the types of encoding supportedfor the messaging services, by determining which encoders are availableon the mobile device 38, and with which of the messaging services eachencoder is configured to operate. For example, when an encoding schemeis a public key-based secure messaging scheme, the messaging client 60determines for which messaging services a private key has been loadedinto a key store on the mobile device 38. If a different identity ormessaging address is associated with each messaging service, as is oftenthe case, then different private encryption and signature keys arenormally required for secure messaging using such services. This type ofencoding is preferably listed in the messaging settings menu for amessaging service only if the encoding is actually available for thatservice. Otherwise, a user may select a messaging service and encodingcombination that cannot be used.

[0076] Where a messaging service allows or supports plaintext encoding,for insecure messaging, for example, the name of the service isdisplayed in the menu 84, as shown in FIG. 6. The name of each serviceis also displayed in the menu 84 with encoding methods identified inbrackets after the service name where other types of encoding aresupported for the service. In FIG. 6, both the “Desktop” and “Home”services support PGP and S/MIME. Those skilled in the art willappreciate that the particular display scheme or naming convention maybe different from that shown in FIG. 6, which is presented forillustrative purposes. Other menu and display formats, controlled by amanufacturer of the mobile device 38, established by a developer of themessaging client 60, or possibly configurable by a user of the mobiledevice 38, for example, may also be used.

[0077]FIG. 7 shows the compose screen 71 with a message menu 88. Themessage menu 88 may be displayed by a user while an outgoing message isbeing composed or after an outgoing message has been composed and is tobe sent. For example, the message menu 88 may be displayed by a user byoperating a function key or input device. In the above example of athumbwheel as an input device, the message menu 88 may be displayed byrolling the thumbwheel to position the cursor in the message portion 75,the “To:” line or the “Subject” line of the compose screen 71, and thendepressing the thumbwheel. As shown, the message menu 88 includes aplurality of functions, including a “Hide Menu” function to close themessage menu 88, a “Select” function to allow a user to highlight textin the message, a “Send” function to send the message, a “Save Draft”function to save the message to memory without sending the message,“Add” functions to add “To:”, “Cc:”, and “Bcc:” addresses to themessage, an “Attach Address” function to attach an address from anaddress book to the message, a “Clear Field” function to clear thecontents of the field in which the cursor was positioned when themessage menu 88 was displayed (i.e., the message portion 75 in FIG. 7),an “Options” function 88 to display message options, and a “Cancel”function to cancel the compose operation. Those skilled in the art willappreciate that the message menu 88 is presented for illustrativepurposes only, and that further, fewer, or different functions may beaccessible in a message menu or a similar menu.

[0078] As described above, the messaging settings selection field 82enables a user to select messaging settings while a message is beingcomposed, such that only a single “Send” function need be included inthe message menu 88. Where a messaging client implements a messagingselection and display system which selects messaging settings anddisplays the selected messaging settings in the messaging settingsportion 80 of the compose screen 70 as shown in FIG. 4, more than one“Send” function, one for each available messaging service and encodingtype, may be included in a message menu to allow a user to select newmessaging settings before a message is sent. When a “Send” function hasbeen invoked, the messaging client 60 processes and sends the outgoingmessage via the wireless transceiver 64, a wireless network, andpossibly other communication links and networks, to addressed recipientsof the outgoing message. The messaging client 60 performs processingoperations in accordance with the selected messaging settings, such asencryption and digital signing, for example, before sending the outgoingmessage. The messaging client 60 may also perform such operations asdata compression, or repackaging the outgoing message into an electronicenvelope for transfer to message recipients through a host computersystem associated with the mobile device 38 on which the messagingclient 60 is operating.

[0079] Some message characteristics for an outgoing message may also beselected or controlled by selecting message options using the “Options”function on the message menu 88. FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing acompose screen and a message menu. In FIG. 8, as in FIG. 7, the messagemenu 88 includes a plurality of functions. Each function is invoked bypositioning a cursor on a particular entry in the menu and thenselecting the entry, for example by rolling and then depressing athumbwheel. The “Options” function is selected in FIG. 8, as shown at92.

[0080]FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a message options screen. Themessage options screen 94 is displayed when the “Options” function isselected on the message menu 88. As shown, the outgoing messagecurrently being composed has a “Normal” importance level, will be sentusing the “Home” messaging service with “S/MIME” encoding, and will beencrypted only before it is sent. The message options screen 94 alsoshows encryption options, since the current “Home (S/MIME)” messagingsettings specify that the message will be encrypted. Such options may ormay not be displayed when an outgoing message being composed will not beencrypted. Where an outgoing message will also or instead be digitallysigned, signature options may similarly be displayed in a messageoptions screen.

[0081] In the message options screen 94, an importance level may beselected. The portion of the message options screen 94 which displaysthe importance level therefore preferably includes a message importancelevel selection field to provide for selection of an importance level.For example, an importance level may be selected from a menu ofimportance levels. The importance level menu may be displayedsubstantially as described above, by operating a function key or anotherinput device when the cursor is positioned in the importance levelselection field. Actions other than the default action for a particularmessaging service or encoding type could also be selected in a similarmanner where more than one such action is available. In the example ofS/MIME encoding, encrypt only, sign only, encrypt and then sign, andsign and then encrypt are all variants of S/MIME that may be availablefor an outgoing message. An encoding action display portion of themessage options screen 94 may comprise a selection field through whichencoding actions may be specified or selected.

[0082] In addition, or instead, messaging settings are selectable fromthe message options screen 84. To this end, a messaging settings portionof the message options screen 94, in the “Using” line in FIG. 9,preferably comprises a messaging settings selection field 96. Messagingsettings are thereby not only displayed, but are also selectable,through the messaging settings selection field 96. Selection ofmessaging settings from the messaging settings selection field 96 ispreferably substantially as described above for the messaging settingsselection field 82. The messaging settings menu 84 may be invoked fromeither the messaging settings field 82 in the messaging settings portionof the compose screen 71 (FIG. 5) or the messaging settings field 96 inthe message options screen 94. Messaging settings selected in thismanner are used, for example, when no record for a message recipientexists in a settings or analogous data store.

[0083]FIG. 10 is a flow chart illustrating a method of selecting anddisplaying messaging settings on a messaging client. Operationsassociated with displaying selected messaging settings are optional.

[0084] At steps 100 and 102, a user starts a compose message operationand addresses the outgoing message being composed. As described above,an outgoing message may be addressed to message recipients before acompose message operation is started, or while the message is beingcomposed. Message recipients are typically manually entered by a user,selected from an address book, or automatically selected where themessage is a reply message. A compose screen comprising a messagingsettings portion and a message portion is displayed when a message is tobe composed.

[0085] In order to select initial messaging settings for the outgoingmessage, a messaging client then preferably determines, at step 104,whether a record of previous messages, including at least receivedmessages and possibly sent messages, includes an entry associated withthe message recipient or recipients. Where the record does not includean entry associated with any message recipient, default messagingsettings are selected at step 106 and displayed in the messagingsettings portion of the compose screen at step 108.

[0086] Where the record includes an entry associated with a messagerecipient, then initial messaging settings selection is preferably basedon the entry, or, if more than one entry is found, then on one of theentries. At step 110, the messaging client determines whether a settingsconflict exists. If only a single entry is found in the message recordat step 104, then there is no conflict, the previous messaging settingsfrom the record are selected at step 112 and displayed in the messagingsettings portion of the compose screen at step 108.

[0087] A settings conflict exists, for example, where more than oneentry, with different associated messaging settings, is found in themessaging settings record. The different messaging settings maycorrespond to different addressed message recipients, or possiblydifferent messages sent to or received from the same addressedrecipient. Instead, or in addition, conflict resolution at step 114includes selecting a most secure set of messaging settings from theentries found in the messaging settings record for addressed recipients,selecting a most recently used set of messaging settings from the foundentries, selecting a most often used set of messaging settings from thefound entries, prompting the user to select messaging settings from thefound entries, or selecting the messaging settings associated with afirst addressed message recipient, for example. Other conflictresolution schemes are also possible.

[0088] Selected messaging settings are displayed in the messagingsettings portion of the compose screen at step 108. The user thenproceeds to compose the outgoing message, and may select new messagingsettings while the message is being composed. As described above, thismay involve exiting the compose screen to reset message options orselect new messaging settings. However, the messaging client preferablysupports at least one messaging settings selection field, in the composescreen, the message options screen, or both. If new messaging settingsare selected before the compose operation is completed, as determined atstep 120, then the new messaging settings are displayed in the messagesettings portion of the compose screen, and the message options screenif the messaging client is so enabled, at step 122. When the composeoperation is complete (step 116), the outgoing message is prepared andsent at step 118 in accordance with the selected messaging settings.

[0089] Although shown as sequential steps 116 and 120, it should beappreciated that detection of the completion of a compose operation andselection of new settings are preferably invoked by the user when theoutgoing message is complete or new messaging settings are to beselected. A messaging client typically detects predetermined inputs ormenu selections, as described above, to determine that a message shouldbe sent or that new messaging settings have been selected.

[0090] It should also be appreciated that a compose operation mayinclude further or fewer method steps than those shown in FIG. 10. Forexample, messaging clients typically support cancellation of operationssuch as a compose operation, such as by selecting a “Cancel” functionfrom a message menu as described above.

[0091] In addition, FIG. 10 shows one embodiment of initial messagingsettings selection, based on either a messaging settings record ordefault messaging settings. Any combination of the messaging settingsselection schemes described above may be used to select messagingsettings for an outgoing message.

[0092]FIG. 11 is a block diagram of a wireless mobile communicationdevice. The mobile device 600 is preferably a two-way communicationdevice having at least voice and data communication capabilities. Themobile device 600 preferably has the capability to communicate withother computer systems on the Internet. Depending on the functionalityprovided by the device, the device may be referred to as a datamessaging device, a two-way pager, a cellular telephone with datamessaging capabilities, a wireless Internet appliance or a datacommunication device (with or without telephony capabilities).

[0093] The mobile device 600 includes a transceiver 611, amicroprocessor 638, a display 622, non-volatile memory 624, RAM 626,auxiliary input/output (I/O) devices 628, a serial port 630, a keyboard632, a speaker 634, a microphone 636, a short-range wirelesscommunications sub-system 640, and other device sub-systems 642. Thetransceiver 611 includes transmit and receive antennas 616, 618, areceiver (Rx) 612, a transmitter (Tx) 614, one or more local oscillators(LOs) 613, and a digital signal processor (DSP) 620. Within thenon-volatile memory 624, the mobile device 600 includes a plurality ofsoftware modules 624A-624N that can be executed by the microprocessor638 (and/or the DSP 620), including a voice communication module 624A, adata communication module 624B, and a plurality of other operationalmodules 624N for carrying out a plurality of other functions.

[0094] As described above, the mobile device 600 is preferably a two-waycommunication device having voice and data communication capabilities.Thus, for example, the mobile device 600 may communicate over a voicenetwork, such as any of the analog or digital cellular networks, and mayalso communicate over a data network. The voice and data networks aredepicted in FIG. 11 by the communication tower 619. These voice and datanetworks may be separate communication networks using separateinfrastructure, such as base stations, network controllers, etc., orthey may be integrated into a single wireless network.

[0095] The communication subsystem 611 is used to communicate with thenetwork 619. The DSP 620 is used to send and receive communicationsignals to and from the transmitter 614 and receiver 612, and may alsoexchange control information with the transmitter 614 and receiver 612.If the voice and data communications occur at a single frequency, orclosely-spaced set of frequencies, then a single LO 613 may be used inconjunction with the transmitter 614 and receiver 612. Alternatively, ifdifferent frequencies are utilized for voice communications versus datacommunications, then a plurality of LOs 613 can be used to generate aplurality of frequencies corresponding to the network 619. Although twoantennas 616, 618 are depicted in FIG. 11, the mobile device 600 couldbe used with a single antenna structure. Information, which includesboth voice and data information, is communicated to and from thecommunication module 611 via a link between the DSP 620 and themicroprocessor 638.

[0096] The detailed design of the communication subsystem 611, such asfrequency band, component selection, power level, etc., will bedependent upon the communication network 619 in which the mobile device600 is intended to operate. For example, a mobile device 600 intended tooperate in a North American market may include a communication subsystem611 designed to operate with the Mobitex or DataTAC mobile datacommunication networks and also designed to operated with any of avariety of voice communication networks, such as AMPS, TDMA, CDMA, PCS,etc., whereas a mobile device 600 intended for use in Europe may beconfigured to operate with the GPRS data communication network and theGSM voice communication network. Other types of data and voice networks,both separate and integrated, may also be utilized with the mobiledevice 600.

[0097] Depending upon the type of network 619, the access requirementsfor the dual-mode mobile device 600 may also vary. For example, in theMobitex and DataTAC data networks, mobile devices are registered on thenetwork using a unique identification number associated with eachdevice. In GPRS data networks, however, network access is associatedwith a subscriber or user of a mobile device 600. A GPRS devicetypically requires a subscriber identity module (“SIM”), which isrequired in order to operate the mobile device 600 on a GPRS network.Local or non-network communication functions (if any) may be operable,without the SIM, but the mobile device 600 will be unable to carry outany functions involving communications over the network 619, other thanany legally required operations, such as ‘911’ emergency calling.

[0098] After any required network registration or activation procedureshave been completed, the mobile device 600 may send and receivecommunication signals, preferably including both voice and data signals,over the network 619. Signals received by the antenna 616 from thecommunication network 619 are routed to the receiver 612, which providesfor signal amplification, frequency down conversion, filtering, channelselection, etc., and may also provide analog to digital conversion.Analog to digital conversion of the received signal allows more complexcommunication functions, such as digital demodulation and decoding to beperformed using the DSP 620. In a similar manner, signals to betransmitted to the network 619 are processed, including modulation andencoding, for example, by the DSP 620 and are then provided to thetransmitter 614 for digital to analog conversion, frequency upconversion, filtering, amplification and transmission to thecommunication network 619 via the antenna 618. Although a singletransceiver 611 is shown in FIG. 11 for both voice and datacommunications, the mobile device 600 may include two distincttransceivers, a first transceiver for transmitting and receiving voicesignals, and a second transceiver for transmitting and receiving datasignals.

[0099] In addition to processing the communication signals, the DSP 620also provides for receiver and transmitter control. For example, thegain levels applied to communication signals in the receiver 612 andtransmitter 614 may be adaptively controlled through automatic gaincontrol algorithms implemented in the DSP 620. Other transceiver controlalgorithms could also be implemented in the DSP 620 in order to providemore sophisticated control of the transceiver 611.

[0100] The microprocessor 638 preferably manages and controls theoverall operation of the mobile device 600. Many types ofmicroprocessors or microcontrollers could be used for this part, or,alternatively, a single DSP 620 could be used to carry out the functionsof the microprocessor 638. Low-level communication functions, includingat least data and voice communications, are performed through the DSP620 in the transceiver 611. Other, high-level communicationapplications, such as a voice communication application 624A, and a datacommunication application 624B may be stored in the non-volatile memory624 for execution by the microprocessor 638. For example, the voicecommunication module 624A may provide a high-level user interfaceoperable to transmit and receive voice calls between the mobile device600 and a plurality of other voice devices via the network 619.Similarly, the data communication module 624B may provide a high-leveluser interface operable for sending and receiving data, such as e-mailmessages, files, organizer information, short text messages, etc.,between the mobile device 600 and a plurality of other data devices viathe network 619.

[0101] The microprocessor 638 also interacts with other devicesubsystems, such as the display 622, non-volatile memory 624, randomaccess memory (RAM) 626, auxiliary input/output (I/O) subsystems 628,serial port 630, keyboard 632, speaker 634, microphone 636, ashort-range communications subsystem 640 and any other device subsystemsgenerally designated as 642. The components 628, 632, 634 and 636 areexamples of the types of subsystems that could be provided as UIs 62(FIG. 3). The modules 624A-N are executed by the microprocessor 638 andmay provide a high-level interface between a user of the mobile deviceand the mobile device. This interface typically includes a graphicalcomponent provided through the display 622, and an input/outputcomponent provided through the auxiliary I/O 628, keyboard 632, speaker634, or microphone 636.

[0102] Some of the subsystems shown in FIG. 11 performcommunication-related functions, whereas other subsystems may provide“resident” or on-device functions. Notably, some subsystems, such askeyboard 632 and display 622 may be used for both communication-relatedfunctions, such as entering a text message for transmission over a datacommunication network, and device-resident functions such as acalculator or task list or other PDA type functions.

[0103] Operating system software used by the microprocessor 638 ispreferably stored in a persistent store such as non-volatile memory 624.In addition to the operating system and communication modules 624A-N,the non-volatile memory 624 may also include a file system for storingdata. A storage area is also preferably provided in the non-volatilememory 624 to store public keys, a private key, and other informationrequired for secure messaging. The operating system, specific deviceapplications or modules, or parts thereof, may be temporarily loadedinto a volatile store, such as RAM 626 for faster operation. Moreover,received communication signals may also be temporarily stored to RAM 626before permanently writing them to a file system located in thenon-volatile store 624. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, thenon-volatile store 624 may be implemented as a Flash memory component ora battery backed-up RAM, for example.

[0104] An exemplary application module 624N that may be loaded onto themobile device 600 is a personal information manager (PIM) applicationproviding PDA functionality, such as calendar events, appointments, andtask items. This module 624N may also interact with the voicecommunication module 624A for managing phone calls, voice mails, etc.,and may also interact with the data communication module 624B formanaging e-mail communications and other data transmissions.Alternatively, all of the functionality of the voice communicationmodule 624A and the data communication module 624B may be integratedinto the PIM module.

[0105] The non-volatile memory 624 preferably provides a file system tofacilitate storage of PIM data items on the device. The PIM applicationpreferably includes the ability to send and receive data items, eitherby itself, or in conjunction with the voice and data communicationmodules 624A, 624B, via the wireless network 619. The PIM data items arepreferably seamlessly integrated, synchronized and updated, via thewireless network 619, with a corresponding set of data items stored orassociated with a host computer system, thereby creating a mirroredsystem for data items associated with a particular user.

[0106] The mobile device 600 may also be manually synchronized with ahost system by placing the mobile device 600 in an interface cradle,which couples the serial port 630 of the mobile device 600 to the serialport of the host system. The serial port 630 may also be used to enablea user to establish messaging settings through an external device orsoftware application, to download other application modules 624N forinstallation, and to load Certs, keys and other information onto adevice. This wired download path may be used to load an encryption keyonto the mobile device 600, which is a more secure method thanexchanging encryption information via the wireless network 619.

[0107] Additional application modules 624N may be loaded onto the mobiledevice 600 through the network 619, through an auxiliary I/O subsystem628, through the serial port 630, through the short-range communicationssubsystem 640, or through any other suitable subsystem 642, andinstalled by a user in the non-volatile memory 624 or RAM 626. Suchflexibility in application installation increases the functionality ofthe mobile device 600 and may provide enhanced on-device functions,communication-related functions, or both. For example, securecommunication applications may enable electronic commerce functions andother such financial transactions to be performed using the mobiledevice 600.

[0108] When the mobile device 600 is operating in a data communicationmode, a received signal, such as a text message or a web page download,is processed by the transceiver 611 and provided to the microprocessor638, which preferably further processes the received signal for outputto the display 622, or, alternatively, to an auxiliary I/O device 628. Auser of mobile device 600 may also compose data items, such as emailmessages, using the keyboard 632, which is preferably a completealphanumeric keyboard laid out in the QWERTY style, although otherstyles of complete alphanumeric keyboards such as the known DVORAK stylemay also be used. User input to the mobile device 600 is furtherenhanced with a plurality of auxiliary I/O devices 628, which mayinclude a thumbwheel input device, a touchpad, a variety of switches, arocker input switch, etc. The composed data items input by the user maythen be prepared as specified in selected messaging settings andtransmitted over the communication network 619 via the transceiver 611.

[0109] When the mobile device 600 is operating in a voice communicationmode, the overall operation of the mobile device 600 is substantiallysimilar to the data mode, except that received signals are preferablyoutput to the speaker 634 and voice signals for transmission aregenerated by a microphone 636. Alternative voice or audio I/Osubsystems, such as a voice message recording subsystem, may also beimplemented on the mobile device 600. Although voice or audio signaloutput is preferably accomplished primarily through the speaker 634, thedisplay 622 may also be used to provide an indication of the identity ofa calling party, the duration of a voice call, or other voice callrelated information. For example, the microprocessor 638, in conjunctionwith the voice communication module 624A and the operating systemsoftware, may detect the caller identification information of anincoming voice call and display it on the display 622.

[0110] A short-range communications subsystem 640 is also included inthe mobile device 600. For example, the subsystem 640 may include aninfrared device and associated circuits and components, or a short-rangewireless communication module such as a Bluetooth™ communication moduleor an 802.11 module to provide for communication with similarly-enabledsystems and devices. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that“Bluetooth” and “802.11” refer to sets of specifications, available fromthe Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), relatingto wireless personal area networks and wireless LANs, respectively.

[0111] The above description relates to one or more examples. Manyvariations will be apparent to those knowledgeable in the field, andsuch variations are within the scope of the application.

[0112] For example, although a wireless mobile communication device isshown in FIG. 11 and described as one possible system on which amessaging client may operate, messaging settings selection systems andmethods may also be implemented in other messaging clients, includingthose configured for operation on desktop, laptop, or networked computersystems.

[0113] The use of numeric or alphabetic labelling in the claims thatfollow is purely for convenience and reference. The labelling is notintended to limit the scope of the claims or mandate particular order ofparticular limitations. Further, in practice limitations as set forth inthe claims can occur in any suitable order, can be rearranged orcombined or otherwise integrated without departing from the claim scope.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of selecting messaging settings on amessaging client, the method comprising the steps of: (a) determining arecipient of an outgoing message; and (b) retrieving a messaging settingfrom a data store based upon the determined recipient.
 2. The method ofclaim 1, and further comprising the step of (c) transmitting theoutgoing message based at least in part upon the retrieved messagingsetting.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the retrieved messagingsetting comprises a message format characteristic or a message securitycharacteristic.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the retrievedmessaging setting comprises an indication for encryption or anindication for digital signing.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein aplurality of messaging settings is retrieved during the retrieving step.6. The method of claim 5, wherein each of the plurality of messagingsettings is a message format characteristic or a message securitycharacteristic.
 7. The method of claim 1, and further comprising thestep of displaying the retrieved messaging setting in a messagingsettings portion of an outgoing message compose screen.
 8. The method ofclaim 7, wherein the messaging settings portion for the outgoing messageincludes a field that is modified by a user to indicate a change inmessage setting for a first message, wherein the modified field for theoutgoing message does not modify message settings of a subsequentlycomposed outgoing message.
 9. The method of claim 8, and furthercomprising the step of providing a message composition interface thatincludes a message header portion, wherein the message header portionincludes a TO field and a SUBJECT field, wherein the message headerportion displays the messaging settings portion.
 10. The method of claim9, and further comprising the step of (c) displaying the receivedmessaging setting in the messaging settings portion of the providedmessage composition interface.
 11. The method of claim 9, wherein theprovided message composition interface includes a text field forallowing a user to enter a message.
 12. The method of claim 1, whereinthe messaging client executes on a desktop computer, a notebookcomputer, or a mobile computing device.
 13. The method of claim 1, andfurther comprising the step of storing messaging settings of theoutgoing message in the data store.
 14. The method of claim 13, whereinthe storing step comprises the step of storing the messaging settings inassociation with one or more recipients of the outgoing message for usein determining which messaging setting is to be used for an outgoingmessage.
 15. The method of claim 1, and further comprising the step of(c) repeating steps (a) through (b) for a plurality of recipients. 16.The method of claim 15, and further comprising the step (d) resolvingconflicts among retrieved message settings.
 17. The method of claim 16,wherein the step of resolving conflicts comprises the step of selectingone or more message settings from the retrieved message settings basedupon security of each retrieved message setting, time used of eachretrieved message setting, frequency of use of each retrieved messagesetting, priority of recipient with whom retrieved message setting isassociated or combinations thereof.
 18. The method of claim 16, whereinthe step of resolving conflicts comprises the step of prompting anauthor of the outgoing message for a selection among the retrievedmessage settings.
 19. One or more computer readable media storinginstructions that upon execution by a computer cause the computer toallow selection of messaging settings within a messaging client byperforming the steps of claim
 1. 20. A system for selecting messagingsettings on a messaging client, the system comprising: (a) a user outputdevice capable of displaying data communicated by a system processor ina manner perceivable by an end user; (b) a data store capable of storingone or more messaging settings associated with one or more messagerecipients; and (c) the system processor, wherein the system processorcomprises one or more processing elements, wherein the system processoris in communication with the user output device the data store andwherein the one or more processing elements are programmed or adapted atleast to: (i) determine a recipient of an outgoing message; and (ii)retrieve a messaging setting from a data store based upon the determinedrecipient.
 21. The system of claim 20, and further comprising a userinput device adapted to receive data from an end user and communicatethe entered data to the system processor.
 22. The system of claim 21,wherein the user output device and the user input device are anintegrated unit.
 23. The system of claim 22, wherein the integrated unitis a touch sensitive screen.
 24. The system of claim 21, wherein theuser input device is a tactile entry device, an auditory entry device,or combinations thereof
 25. The system of claim 24, wherein the userinput device is a touch sensitive pad, a touch sensitive screen, akeyboard, a mouse or combinations thereof.
 26. The system of claim 21,wherein the one or more processing elements of the system processor arefurther programmed or adapted at least to receive a messaging settingvia the user input device.
 27. The system of claim 26, wherein the oneor more processing elements of the system processor are furtherprogrammed or adapted at least to aggregate the received messagingsetting with the retrieved message setting.
 28. The system of claim 27,wherein the one or more processing elements of the system processor arefurther programmed or adapted at least to resolve conflicts among theaggregated messaging settings.
 29. The system of claim 27, wherein theone or more processing elements of the system processor are furtherprogrammed or adapted at least to store the aggregated messagingsettings in the data store in association with the determined recipientupon submission of the outgoing message for transmission to thedetermined recipient.
 30. The system of claim 20, wherein the useroutput device is a visual display, a speaker, a tactile display orcombinations thereof.
 31. The system of claim 30, wherein the useroutput device comprises a liquid crystal display.
 32. The system ofclaim 20, and further comprising (d) a wireless transceiver incommunication with the system processor and wherein the one or moreprocessing elements of the system processor are further programmed oradapted at least to transmit an outgoing messaged via the wirelesstransceiver based at least in part upon the received messaging setting.33. A system for selecting messaging settings on a messaging client, thesystem comprising: (a) storing means for storing one or more messagingsettings in association with one or more end users; (b) input means forreceive data from an end user; (c) output means for rendering data in amanner perceivable by an end user; (d) processing means for: (i)determining a recipient of an outgoing message; and (ii) retrieving amessaging setting from the storing means based upon the determinedrecipient; (iii) providing a message composition interface for composingthe outgoing message via the output means, wherein the interfacecomprises a message portion and a messaging settings portion; (iv)receiving from the messaging settings portions a messaging settingassociated with the outgoing message being composed in the providedmessage composition interface, the received messaging setting entered byan end user via the input means; (v) aggregating the received messagingsetting with the retrieved message setting; and (vi) storing theaggregated messaging settings in the storing means in association withthe determined recipient upon submission of the outgoing message fortransmission to the determined recipient.